11 hours in Paris

My first trip to Paris was not planned. I had to travel to Cape Town for a conference and the route I booked ended up having an 11 hour layover in the city of love. Instead of despairing at the long wait time in between flights, I immediately started looking up how I could store my luggage in the airport and the best way to get to the city center to make the most of this unexpected time. By chance, my layover coincided with the beginning of the Paris Climate Conference (COP 21) and Paris had made all public transportation free. It was also two weeks after the November terrorist attacks, so you can imagine that the feel in the city was a bit different. 

How do you get to Paris from the airport? 

I landed at Charles de Gaulle airport at around 12:45pm on 30 November 2015, and after deplaning and going through customs, I found my way to the luggage store area just next to the RER train station in the terminal. At just 6 euro to store my carry-on bag for about six  hours, it was quite affordable! I hopped on the train that would take me to Gare du Nord, right in the heart of Paris. Normally, the RER train is 10.30 euro, but since I got lucky and public transportation was free, I was able to save my money for a delicious croissant later in my day! 

I had three goals for my first time in Paris: see Notre Dame, the Eiffel Tower, and wander along the Seine. Normally when I travel I also scout out restaurants and cafes to stop by, but this time I figured I would likely stumble upon somewhere to grab a bite. As I emerged from the train into Gare du Nord about an hour later, I was immediately taken with the architecture of the train station and the general feel of the people bustling all around me. I decided I was going to walk everywhere instead of taking the Paris Metro to take in as much of Paris as I could, and luckily the weather was in my favor (even if a bit overcast). 

Notre Dame 

After about 45 minutes of wandering the Parisian streets, I approached Notre Dame. Although there were other tourists in the area, I could tell that it wasn’t as busy as it normally would be – the presence of armed troops was a stark reminder that the city had just recently survived a terrorist attack. It’s always strange traveling when the place you’re going to has experienced such an event, but I think it’s important to be a responsible tourist and try to understand what is going on in the country and what its citizens are experiencing. 

Bonus: Shakespeare and Company 

Continuing my exploration of Paris, I crossed a small bridge to the other side of the Seine (aka the Left Bank) and happened upon an amazing bookstore called Shakespeare and Company. No pictures are allowed inside, but I highly recommend spending some time in this absolutely magical store, full of nooks and crannies packed with books. There’s even a piano on the second floor! This bookstore was opened in 1951 and is a tribute to the original Shakespeare and Company, which was opened by Sylvia Beach in 1919. The store is filled with news articles and letters displaying the history of the original bookstore, which was a gathering place for many authors such as Ernest Hemingway and James Joyce.

The Eiffel Tower 

From Notre Dame, I leisurely wandered along the Seine until I reached the Eiffel Tower, about an hour later. I loved being able to just walk without a time crunch and take in the architecture, the cobblestones, and the feel of the city. When I arrived, I was again greeted by the sight of armed troops patrolling the area, together with other tourists taking pictures and marvelling at the site in front of us all. I knew I wanted to get to the top of the tower so quickly made my way to the ticket counter where I discovered the elevator to the second floor wasn’t working, and if I wanted to go up I’d need to climb the 674 stairs that would get me to the next elevator! I didn’t have to think for a second – of course I was going to take the stairs up, no matter how many there were! 

I began my trek up the stairs employing the slow and steady approach so I wouldn’t get too tired. As I was making my way up, I was reminded that I hadn’t yet eaten anything and decided that my next stop would be to find a cafe. The view from the second floor was beautiful and it was a nice spot to rest after having just climbed over 600 stairs. 

I then took the elevator to the top of the Eiffel Tower, where you really get a bird’s eye view of Paris. It was such a peaceful moment to be at the top of one of the most iconic structures in the world, taking in the city around me. 

After making my way back down the tower, I stopped by a cafe I stumbled upon for a croissant and a cafe before walking back along the Left Bank. I eventually reached Pont Alexandre III, which is a beautiful arch bridge named after Tsar Alexandre III. 

Since it was beginning to get dark, I decided instead of walking all the way to Gare du Nord, I would take the Paris Metro to get there and catch my train back to CDG. I arrived back at the airport tired from a busy afternoon of exploring Paris, but happy knowing I had made the most of my time. And that’s how I spent an 11 hour layover and my first time in Paris!